The Big Interview

Here’s another chance to hear my interview with Alan Smith from season four.

Alan was part of an Arsenal side which won England’s top division twice, and he won the golden boot twice, but a crisis of confidence blighted the end of his career, even when he scored the winner against Parma in the 1994 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final.

The Gunners’ success was due to the camaraderie and chemistry instilled by George Graham, and Alan offers us brilliant insights into the approach of that managerial legend. The highpoint was winning the league title in 1989 at Anfield with the last kick of the ball – a moment Alan considers English club football’s most iconic.

You will love this fascinating Big Interview.

Graham

Welcome to our Big Interview Icons series where we shine a light on a legend whose name has lit up some of the conversations I’ve had with my guests over the years. This episode focuses on Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders tells us how Jurgen and his coaches instil the players’ inner voice in training. Jurgen’s charges can adapt to personnel changes by sticking to a collective philosophy which is drilled into the squad.

Jamie Carragher describes Liverpool’s amazing 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final at Anfield. The Reds trailed 3-0 from first leg, but Jamie contends that Jurgen made his players believe that they could achieve anything.

We caught up with Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson in early 2018, just after he had played a vital part in an awesome 4-3 victory over Manchester City. Andy tells us what it’s like to play for the legend Klopp, and why he isn’t scared to take a creative risk on the field.

Brilliant stuff.

Graham

In part two of my fascinating conversation with Michael Laudrup, we continue talking about Swansea’s 2013 League Cup triumph. They won the final against Bradford 5-0 but Michael never liked humiliating teams or individuals.

We hear about a masterclass dealt out in Naples by one Diego Armando Maradona when Michael was playing for Juventus. Michael also explains his philosophy of a happy retirement and why he thinks we are asking too much of our modern footballers.

As a player and a manager, Michael Laudrup was pure footballing nobility, so much so that they made him a knight of the Danish realm.

Michael is one of that rare species who can articulate his playing genius. Crucial to his development was playing under Johan Cruyff at Barcelona, who was a genius at conveying his message in simple terms.

There’s great stuff about how the Danish national team transitioned from Corinthian purity to become perennial overachievers. And about how trophies won as a manager – not least Swansea’s 2013 League Cup triumph – felt better than those won as a player.

Here’s another chance to hear my interview with Christian Fuchs from season four.

Back then, Christian was still at Leicester, where he had won the Premier League against all the odds. Nigel Pearson signed him for the Foxes from Schalke – and was then promptly sacked. But the left-back fitted in with Claudio Ranieri’s plans. Ranieri made every player feel special, which was key to their amazing success. Christian describes watching Tottenham drawing with Chelsea – which clinched the title for Leicester – as an incredibly exhausting experience. He had never quite believed that they would become champions.

You’ll also hear about playing alongside the great Raul at Schalke, how Mattersburg captain Dietmar Kuhbauer toughened a young Christian up, and how a loan spell at Mainz under coaching genius Thomas Tuchel was a seminal experience.

Enjoy,

Graham